Sri Lanka’s tourism advisory committee to drive strategic initiatives
The Morning: The Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Ministry officially appointed members to the newly formed Tourism Advisory Committee on 18 March, in accordance with Section 32(1) of the Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005.
The committee, comprising industry leaders and experts, is tasked with driving strategic initiatives to strengthen Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, a key contributor to the nation’s economy.
The ceremony was presided over by Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe.
During the event, committee members received their official appointment letters and formally assumed their roles.
In his remarks, Minister Herath highlighted the committee’s role in fostering collaboration and innovation within the tourism industry.
“The Tourism Advisory Committee brings together diverse expertise to enhance Sri Lanka’s competitiveness as a global tourism destination. Their contributions will be critical in shaping policies and strategies for sustainable growth,” Herath said.
The committee’s mandate includes addressing challenges in the tourism sector, promoting sustainable practices, and enhancing Sri Lanka’s appeal as a premier travel destination.
The Ministry emphasised the importance of leveraging the committee’s collective expertise to drive economic growth, create employment opportunities, and preserve the country’s cultural heritage through tourism.
The appointment of the Tourism Advisory Committee marks a strategic step in Sri Lanka’s efforts to revitalise its tourism industry, which has faced significant challenges in recent years.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is one of the fast-growing industries in the country while also serving as a key revenue generator to the country. Local tourism authorities are also focused on further driving growth in the tourism industry by conducting targeted promotional campaigns in key tourist source markets while also identifying new tourism concepts to attract more foreign travelers to the country. It is in such a backdrop that the Tourism Ministry has appointed an advisory committee with identifying effective strategies to further expand the tourism industry. Given that Sri Lanka has been identified as a must visit tourist destination by many leading global travel publications with new tourism concepts on offer, the overall expansion in the local tourism industry and related sectors have presented a host of wide-ranging business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses/investors. The increasing business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is evident by the interest shown by leading international leisure and hospitality brands to enter the country as well as the expansion programmes undertaken by many businesses already in the industry. With all these positive indicators, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in the tourism industry that guarantee quick returns on investment (ROIs).
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250326/Z_3 |